2010 Johor Student Leaders Council Charity Dinner

The Johor Student Leaders Council will hold its debut Charity Dinner to commemorate its establishment.  It will be held on Monday, 29th November 2010 at Persada Johor (8 pm). HRH Tuanku Raja Zarith Sofiah, the Johor Ruler Consort will be gracing the event and later on, officiate  the establishment of the Johor Student Leaders Congress and the Student Leaders Board. Adibah Noor, the vocal powerhouse will also be belting some numbers to entertain the guests.

Below are the name of the performers during the JSLC Charity Dinner :

Primary School

1. Fatimah Zahra Zulkurnain- SK Sri Skudai
2. Nurul Nadira Mohamad- SK Taman Tun Aminah 2
3. Fatimah Nurulfatihah Dorahim- SK Taman Nusa Perintis
4. Alexandra Paige Nadja Fernandez- SK Seri Tebrau
5. Nurin Nadiah Rusman-SK Taman Universiti
6. An-Nur Farin Sabrina-SK Nong Chik
7. Ariz Akmal-SK Bandar Baru Uda 2
 8.Rabiatul Aynah Hazni-SIGS
 9. Shmita Rai Kannan-Jesus Convent
10.   Muhammad Farid Shamsuddin – SK Nong Chik
11.   Nasreen Qistina Mohd Nasir- SKBBU2
12.   Nureen Farhanah Mokhtar-SK Taman Universiti
13.   Iklil Hawaa Noordin-SIGS
14.   Muhammad Syamim Mohd Syahri – SK Taman Tun Aminah 2
15.   Nurul Iman Athirah Ahmad Fauzi- Jesus Convent
17.   Arvind Ravindran-SJKT Taman Tun Aminah
18.   Lee Bao Yi –SJKC Pu Sze

Secondary School

1.       Mohd Syafiq Mohd Azhar –SMK Tasek Utara

2.       Mohd Rizuan Zainal Abiden-SMK  Skudai

3.       Kamarul Baharin Kamal –SMK Bandar Baru Uda

4.       Hoo Jiong Sheng-SMK Seri Perling

5.       Ahmad Fadhil Abd Majid – SMK Md Khalid

6.       Nur Farahin Samsudin-SMK Taman Desa Skudai

7.       Kressan Gajendran – SMK Md Khalid

8.       Mohd Khairul Niyaz Mohd Azlan Sunil-SMK Dato Jaafar

9.       Khairiyah Khirrudin-SIGS

10.   Elicia Cheng-IJ Convent

11.   Yean Yan Tong-Sekolah Sultan Ismail

12.   Amira Fahira Mansor-SMK Tasek Utara

13.   Siti Aminah Shaiful Bahri-SMK Bandar Baru Uda

14.   Aine Atiqah Mohd Asri-SMK Taman Desa Skudai

15.   Azam Ariffin- Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar

16.   Tommy Gan Jia Shen –SMK Aminuddin Baki

17.   K Sharsindra Pratheen-Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar

18.   Syairazi Zharfan Zainul Hakim- SMK Seri Perling

19.   Norafiqah Asilah Rusli-SMK Aminuddin Baki

20.   Kalisswari Apparao-SIGS

21.   Aisyah Razali –IJ Convent

22.   Shima Rani Rengasamy-SMK Gelang Patah

 The students will be performing an interlude of songs and dances comprising of  Gemuruh Jiwa  (by all the JSLC members)  followed by  Traditional Dance (Zapin, Joget & Citrawarna). Up next is the choir from IJ Convent.  One highlight of the charity dinner would be the choral performance of  the 20 members of JSLC  where they shall be singing 'We are the World' together with children with special needs.  I am sure the Charity Dinner would be a raving success and hopefully, everything will turn out well.

1119 English Literature: An Analysis

Poetry and Short Stories

YEAR	SHORT STORY	POETRY
2004	The Lotus Eater	Sonnet 18
2005	Looking For A Rain God	Si Tenggang’s Homecoming
2006	The Drover’s Wife	The Road Not Taken
2007	The Lotus Eater	Si Tenggang’s Homecoming
2008	The Sound Machine	Si Tenggang’s Homecoming
2009	The Necklace	Monsoon History

Tips:  The answers to the first three items on the short story and poem can be found in the extract given while the last item requires candidate to provide personal responses with close reference to the poem/short story. 

The Novel

YEAR	ELEMENT TESTED	EXAMINATION ITEM
2004	Plot	Choose an event in the novel you have studied which you find to be most memorable. Give reasons for your choice and with close reference to the text, discuss the event.
2005	Theme	‘Love is important in a family.’ How is this shown in the novel you have read? Support your answers with close reference to the text.
2006	Character & Characterisation	The writer describes the main character as a very determined person. Using details from the novel you have studied, write about: -some instances that show the character’s determination. -how the determination affects his/her family.
2007	Character & Characterisation	‘It is important to have a person you look up to in your life.’ From the novel you’ve read, write about one character that you looked up to. Give a reason why you choose him/her.
2008	Plot	Describe what happens at the end of the novel and explains why you find the ending happy or sad.
2009	Character & Plot	Using the details from the novel you have studied, write about a difficult decision made by one of the characters.  With close reference to the text, do you think this was the right decision?

Tips:  The length of a candidate's answer does not guarantee one will receive better marks. Giving a direct and apt response with appropriate justifications will garner extra points. A candidate must also provide close reference to the text as it shows the depth of one's understanding of the chosen text.

GC DG44

Alhamdulillah. It's official now. Another reason to keep on learning and teaching with utmost fervour. Hopefully the new post will fuel me to be a better educator. It's been a painstaking journey to get to where I am now. Struggling with work confirmation glitch for a couple of years, Being manipulated  (due to my own inadequacies of standing up for my right), burnout, you name it, I faced them all. I was unhappy with the teaching profession at that time. I felt situations were not accomodating me at all. In a nutshell, I was a sad, frustrated teacher.

Then one day, I picked up a book that totally changed the course of my life.

M Scott Peck's The Road Less Travelled.

I realised blaming everyone and everything will not change the situations nor will it solve any issue that I face in life.  From the book I've read, I realised that the only way things will change is when I think positive and initiate action to overcome any obstacles or challenges along the way. I can not sit around, twiddle my thumbs and wait for a miracle to happen. To be a great teacher, one must be a good learner. I've learned from my colleagues and my own students on how to improve my teaching methodology and make learning more meaningful for my students.

I also learn that it is not easy to initiate a change, to do something totally out of your comfort zone. When I started doing the action research for the first time, I was at first sceptical on its effectiveness. When I realised how the project I did had maximised my students' enthusiasm in learning by leaps and bounds, I was motivated.  When I came across this blog, I was totally in awe of Kak Rahmah's dedication in teaching. Her positive attitude and optimism somewhat fueled me to emulate her fervour in teaching. She is my role model and I am glad that she is kind enough to share her knowledge with me. She triggered me to ride the unchartered waters and I dared myself to present paper at international conferences. I had inhibition of course (who would want to listen to me? / I'm not good enough) but  I told myself, you got nothing to lose. The biggest demon is insecurities , to convince yourself that you need to perservere regardless of whatever criticism you might receive from others. Life is not all about perfection, it's all about progress.

It is inevitable to deny that it is a big responsibility to be a Guru Cemerlang/Master Teacher. People have expectations upon you, watching your every moves and wanting mind-blowing results and outcomes. Personally, I hope to learn more and improve on my teaching skills. I hope to network with more teachers and nurture my students' love for learning. I would also like to thank all of the followers & visitors of this humble blog. I have an ongoing mission : learn to teach with love :)

SPM Countdown: The Pearl Pop Quiz flashcards

I've discovered this awesome web-based application called Quizlet via Zaid Alsagoff. The site features flash cards, vocabulary memorisation and study games. Now, who says learning is a bore? To me, this is definitely a fun way to study. I find that it is an apt platform to assist English Language teachers in teaching vocabulary and terminology in the virtual classroom. Did I mention that it is also FREE OF CHARGE? :)

Another plus for Quizlet is it's a fuss-free application. Even for web-novice, it is quite easy to build your own set of  flashcards on any topic that one desires. For instance, I've decided to design The Pearl Pop Quiz flashcards to assist my Form 5 students in revising for their upcoming SPM examination. Even if I am not able to be in school to teach them, they still can retrieve the material 24-7 as long they are connected to the Internet. No reason for not studying even if the teacher is not around.

I love the fact that one can login via one's Facebook account. Since most of my students are perpetually online (especially checking out their Facebook accounts), I believe this would be a great way to coax them to study while oogling their friends' latest photos or updates. To me, the possibilities are endless with Quizlet. I intend to explore more with this freeware and hopefully, I can come up with more flashcard sets to perk up the students' interest in learning. Do check it out!

KBSM English Literature Component : Form 5 Novel 2011

It's been almost three months since I'm away from school, nursing my injury. Hence, it is no surprise that I only knew about the latest novels for Form Five English Literature Component about a few days ago. You might have heard about this from other blogs. Nonetheless, I'd like to share the information in this blog as well. Thanks Darsh for the info :) I'm looking forward to reading the three books and posting my reviews on them soon. Check it out!

-The Curse by Lee Su Ann

(will be read by Pahang,Terengganu, Johor,Sabah,Sarawak and Labuan)

-Step by Wicked Step by Ann Fine

(will be read by Selangor,Kuala Lumpur,Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca)

-Catch Us If You Can by Catherine McPhail
(will be read by Perlis,Kelantan,Kedah, Penang and Perak)

Cool ELT Sites

Check out the British Council's Learning English website. There are many activities that can be adapted and used by teachers in their classrooms. For older learners, perhaps we can try stretching their imagination with these podcasts based on stories and poems. They come with activities you can download or do online.Do check it out!

If you are keen to incorporate interactive websites and games in your classroom, look no further. Teacher Tap is the hub for all the aforementioned activities that could help to stimulate our students' interests in learning. What I personally like about Teacher Tap is how it is segmented into various categories such as Interactive Games, Simulation, Quizzes, Drill and Practice. This would definitely help teachers in identifying appropriate activities that cater to the students' proficiency level and needs. 

p/s: I miss my students very much! I do hope I would recover soon. Thank you to those who jotted down heartfelt messages & words of encouragement. Thank you for visiting my blog.

DON'T QUIT

"When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but do not quit.
Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things go wrong that you must not quit."

-Unknown

Learning to walk again...

6 hours after I published my last blog post, something catastrophic happened. I fell down and I heard this sharp thudding sound and I couldn't move a single inch of my left leg. I was rushed to the ER and based on the xrays, the doctor relayed the devastating news that I broke my patela and I need to go for an operation. I totally whacked my left knee and the doctor had to bolt in an iron rod and screws to keep the bones intact.

Ironically, I didn't cry when the sharp pain was clinging to my knee when it happened. I guess I was too shocked to feel the pain, trying to comprehend what had happened to me. I was even awake when the doctor did the operation, I was composed when it happened. I could even guide my student, Shafiq with his PowerPoint presentation on my 2nd day at the hospital. (Btw, congrats for being one of the JSLC members!) However, I finally broke down in tears on the 4th night stay at the hospital - four hours after the operation. It was the most excruciating pain ever. I felt so helpless and I kept asking for painkillers, trying to numb the pain. My arms are now blue-black due to the massive injections. In a nutshell, I was a wreck.

Gradually, I started to reflect on my adversity and try to see how I was emotionally and physically affected by it. Then I started to open my eyes and my mind to my surroundings. I started to talk to other patients, the nurses, the doctors and from there, I was subconciously healed. I realised I was not alone, people were trying to help me and there were other patients who were experiencing ever graver situations that I was. I realised that I was too sucked into the vortex of my own melancholy that I forgot to see the flipside of this turbulous phase.

Trying to walk again would take at least 4 months, said the doctor. Even right now, I am struggling with my steps, even the simplest task of peeing is taking a toll on my life. I still need to go through series of physiotheraphy and trips to see the othopedict specialist from time to time. I still can't bend my left knee but I am still alive. Alhamdulillah.

It is such a humbling moment, I know it might take me longer than usual to walk or to get up to my feet but I am determined to do it, even if I have to fumble along the process. I know God will only test those who could endure such test, it might take me some time to realise the blessing behind this hardship but I am doing my best to pick my self together. I will go through this, stronger than before.

To all my parents, colleagues, friends and students, thank you for being there during this turbulous phase.

Johor Student Leaders Congress (JSL) Candidates

Congratulations to all the candidates for the Johor Student Leaders Congress (JSL). Out of 80 students from all over Johor, 31 students have been shortlisted to vy for the distinguished spot of JSL.

1. Ahmad Fadhil B. Abd Majid -SMK Mohd Khalid JB
2. Diyanah Husna Bt. Kamarudin-SMKA JB
3. Hafiz Rahim b. Mohamed Ansari-Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar JB
4. Nurul Atiqah Bt. Mohd Zan-Sekolah Tun Fatimah JB
5. Tan Chien Yin-SMK IJ Convent JB
6. Sebastian Goh Qing-Wei-SMK Sultan Ismail JB
7. Kothai a/p Vejayan-SIGS JB
8. Lavanya a/p Vejayan-SMK Dato Bentara Dalam Segamat
9. Mohd Shafiq B. Mohamad Azhar-SMK Tasek Utara JB
10. Ahmad Haziq B. Azmi-SMKA Segamat
11. Peter Vinod Pereira-Sekolah Tinggi Batu Pahat
12. Mohammad Ridzuan B. Zainal Abiden-SMK Skudai
13. Mohanakrishna a/l Pathmanathan- Sekolah Tinggi Kluang
14. Thanendren a/l Kanalingam-Sekolah Tinggi Segamat
15. Nurul Aina Bt. Aman-SMKA Segamat
16. Qistina Bt. Mohamad Helmi-SMK Sultan Ismail JB
17. Kamarul Baharin B. Kamal-SMK Bandar Baru Uda JB
18. Illiyin Bt. Md Kasim-SMK IJ Convent JB
19. Zolfazreen B. Zolhasni-SMK Bandar Tenggara 2 Kulaijaya
20. Shimarani a/p Rengasamy-SMK Gelang Patah
21. Nurul Nabilah Bt. Azahari-SMK Gelang Patah
22. R. Savind Kumar a/l Rathakrishna-SMK Dato Penggawa Timur Pasir Gudang
23. Ahmad Wajih B. Mohamad Nasir-SMS Sultan Iskandar Mersing
24. Sofiya Bt. Imran-SMK Temenggong Ibrahim Batu Pahat
25. Nurul Ain Bt. Harolanuar-SMS Sultan Iskandar Mersing
26. Norafiqah Asilah Bt. Rusli-SMK Aminuddin Baki JB
27. Hariz Haikal B. Nasuha-Sekolah Tinggi Muar
28. Lim Wei Der-Sekolah Tinggi Muar
29. Muhammad Shafiq B. Nasaruddin-SMS Muar
30. Eniza Fasiha Bt. Ellias-SMS Muar
31. Nur Sara Adriana Bt. Rosman-SIGS JB

The interview would be carried out from 12th July - 13th July 2010 at IRDA Office, Danga Bay, Johor Bahru. The candidates will go through 3 stages of interview, impromptu speech, individual presentation and group discussion. The panel interviewers would expect the candidates to be able to deliver their thoughts immaculately. Kudos to all the candidates who made it this far and I wish you all the best!

Coming Off Hiatus

I'm back! I know that I've been neglecting this blog for quite a while. Although there are so many things happening lately, I guess I didn't have much time to blog since I tend to immortalise my thoughts on my trusty Facebook and Twitter for quick updates. By the way, these kept me busy for the past one month...

• marking Form 4 midyear exam papers.
• tutoring the YPJ classes at EC.
• extra classes for my Form 5 class.
• Johor Internationalisation Programme.
• working with JPNJ on the establishment of the Johor Student Leaders Congress (need to jot down a different entry on that)
• planning an official excursion to SMANSA Batam, Indonesia.
• my two superactive sons!

By the way, I am taking part in the National Level Educational Blogging competition organised by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, in conjuction with their 2010 ICT Day. I've submitted My Lit Project and I'm vying for the scintillating Ipad, tee hee. Ah well, just trying my luck. Hope for the best!